1944 PINAR DEL RIO HURRICANE

 October 12, 1944 – October 23, 1944  This 1944 hurricane, known as the Pinar del Rio hurricane or Cuba- Florida hurricane.  October 12 th, the storm was detected on off the coast of Nicaragua. As it moved Westward, winds intensified reaching sustained winds of 100 mph  On October 16 th, it becoming a Category 2 centered below Grand Cayman.  October 17 th, the storm strengthened to the equivalent of a major hurricane making landfall in Pinar del Rio, on the west side of Cuba.  October 19th the hurricane weakened significantly, and it struck the mainland of southwest Florida near Sarasota as a minimal hurricane with winds of 75 mph (120 km/h)and with minimum pressure, 962 mbar measured in Sarasota.  On October 20 the hurricane diminished to a tropical storm as it passed through Jacksonville and moved inland over North Carolina.  On October 21st the storm caused strong winds over Newfoundland and the remnants joined a low pressure over Southern Greenland. HISTORY

IDV REANALYSIS Here we can see the storm forming by Nicaragua, and how quickly the intense rain and size of the storm intensifies as it moves through the Gulf and how it weakens once hitting Northern Florida, the Carolinas, Newfoundland and eventually disappating by Europe.

 Cuba  There was severe damage, mostly in the Pinar del Río Province which is the Western part of the island where the hurricane went through directly. In this area all the harvests were lost, animals were killed or drowned, and houses were destroyed. Much of Havana harbor was strewn with wrecked and sunken ships. About 300 people were killed in Cuba.  Florida  There was serious tide damage along the southwest Florida coast, and much of the citrus harvest was ruined by the storm. Nine people died when their boat capsized during the storm. HOLDS A RECORD AS ONE OF THE COSTLIEST STORMS

 The storm was reported by the Silver Arrow, a ship traveling from Jamaica to Belize on October 12 th. On the 16 th The keeper of Swan Island (an island in the Caribbean belonging to Honduras) reported the roughest seas he had ever experienced in his life.  On the 14 th a record 24 hours of rainfall fell, inches of rain on Grand Cayman (31.29 total). On the 15 th gusts were measured at that station to be 118 mph from the east as the storm center passed Westward of the island.  On the 17 th the hurricane passed through Pinar del Rio incurring heavy damage, but they had no reports at the time as they lost all communication with this part of the island at this time.  Through Jacksonville the eye was reported to have lasted from 11:30 am to 5 pm indicating an unusually large core extending from Jacksonville to Ocala, about 70 miles.  By the 21 st the storm remnants merged with the Icelandic Low east of Greenland. STORM HISTORY

 Swan Island  Grand Cayman  Pinar del Rio  Dry Tortugas STORM TRACK, IMPORTANT OBSERVATIONS

 The lowest pressure for the storm was mb (28.02 inches) recorded over Dry Tortugas.  The highest recorded winds & wind gusts were recorded in Havana, Cuba to be 140 mph & 163 mph respectively. Gusts of at least 60 miles per hour were recorded for 18 hours straight, while winds of over 35 mph were reported to have lasted 72 hours.  At dry tortugas the winds were recorded to be 120 mph for 2 consecutive hours before the instrument was blown away. PRESSURE & WINDS

 The storm tides caused the most damage in this hurricane. Over Jacksonville the tide was feet above mean low tide. In Cuba, a tidal wave killed 20 people and carried a Oil barge 10 miles inland.  Before wire service failure due to storm winds, the hurricane center in Miami broadcasted warnings in order to evacuate potential dangerous areas. 35,000 people were sheltered by the red cross.  About 318 persons were killed. In Florida there were 18, of which 9 were marines attempting to get of the storm but their ship capsized. The remaining 300 that lost their life were in Cuba, including 200 just from Pinar del Rio.  Florida lost about 70% of it’s crop, the equivalent to 25 million boxes of oranges or $50 million. The Carolinas & Georgia most incurred damage to power & communication lines. In Cuba, the Havana harbor was so clogged with sunken and wrecked boats it had to be closed. STORM TIDE, CASUALTIES, & DAMAGE

EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT 